Miniature flashlight with key attachment



Marchm, 1967 S CHW Z 3,310,668

MINIATURE FLASHLIGHT WITH KEY ATTACfiMENT Filed Oct. 20, 1964 INVENTOR.610N157 SCI/M4972 United States Patent 3,310,668 MINIATURE FLASHLIGHTWITH KEY ATTACHMENT Sidney Schwartz, New York, N.Y., assignor to Bantam-Lite, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed 0st. 20,1964, Ser. No. 405,119 Claims. (Cl. 240-6.4)

This invention relates to miniature flashlights and more particularly isdirected to such illuminating devices combined with means for attachmentto a key handle.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide an improved miniatureflashlight construction of the character described having meansformounting the flashlight on the handle of a key to direct a light beamfrom its light bulb along the longitudinal axis of the key to illuminatethe keyhole and having a finger pressure actuated switch for energizingthe bulb located for convenient operation while simultaneously grippingthe flashlight and key between thumb and forefinger for keyholeinsertion, which flashlight shall comprise few and simple parts that arerelatively inexpensive to manufacture and assemble in quantityproduction, which flashlight shall include a molded plastic casecoacting in a novel manner with a spring metal switch plate and keyanchor element, which flashlight shall be neat in appearance, rugged inconstruction, and convenient to mount on the key handle, and which shallbe practical and eflicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists of features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter'disclosed, the scope of theapplication of which will be indicated in the claims following.

In the accompanying drawing in which an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is shown:

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of the flashlight constructed to embody theinvention shown mounted on the handle of a key.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 in FIG. 1 showing details ofthe interior construction.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the flashlight and key as seen substantiallyon line 33 in FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the casing, cartridge and switchplate and key anchor element comprising the flashlight shown in FIGS. 1to 3, inclusive.

Referring in detail to the drawing, denotes a key and miniatureflashlight combination wherein key 11 mounts a miniature flashlight 12on its handle 11a. Flashlight 12, constructed to embody the invention,is seen in FIG. 4 to comprise a casing 13, a switch plate and key anchorelement 20 and cartridge unit 25. A

Casing 13 is here shown as an integral open top boxlike structure whichmay preferably be molded of any suitable plastic resinous material, asfor example, polystyrene, and having similar opposite side walls 14,front wall 15, rear wall 16 and bottom wall 17. Front wall 15 has acentralized cutout 15a which may extend to the open top of casing 13.Rear wall 16 has a centralized cutout 16a spaced from the open topproviding a crosspiece 16b. Bottom wall 17 has a relatively largeopening 17a and carries a tab 18 which is attached along the rearthereof to bottom Wall 17 and extends forwardly in offset parallelrelation to underlie opening 17a. Bottom wall 17 and rear wall 16 mayalso be integrally formed with a rearwardly projecting link 19 having acentral opening 19a for attachment to a keychain or the like '(notshown). Cartridge unit 25 may be of any suitable construction having alight bulb 26 located in the front surface thereof "ice and a pressureactuated switch 27 located in the adjacent top surface. As here showncartridge unit 25 is a battery-bulb-switch unit similar to those shownand described in my copending application Ser. No. 298,210 filed July29, 1963, and entitled Miniaturized Flashlight With ReplacementCartridge Unit. Cartridge unit 25 is seen to comprise a holder 25a ofany suitable electrically nonconductive resinous plastic having a cavitysized and shaped to accommodate and securely retain disc shapedminiature battery 28 oriented with its center terminal exposed forcontact by switch 27. Light bulb 26 may be of the lens tipped typehaving a pair of pigtail leads, one of which is suitably electricallyconnected, as by spot welding, to the leaf spring which comprises switch27, the other lead being likewise electrically connected to the bottomterminal of battery 28, as is clear from FIG. 4.

Switch plate and key anchor element 20, as seen in FIG. 4, may be madeof a suitable leaf spring sheet metal having a corrosion resistantfinish, such as brass, chrome or precious metal plating, and is stampedand formed into a substantially U-sha-ped configuration having a hollowsized for receiving cartridge 25 therein. Element 20 has two oppositewalls or plates 21 and 22 interconnected by a substantially rightangular intermediate section 23. Plate 21, serving as a top wall closureand depressible switch plate, is contoured to fit into the open top ofcasing 13 and has a rear end downwardly bent portion 21a terminating ina rearwardly projecting tongue 21!), the

latter being offset from the plane of plate 21 by bent portion 21a toextend into rear wall cutout 16a. Tongue 21b normally abuts crosspiece16b to limit the upward movement of plate 21 to a rest position flushwith the top of casing 13. The rear region of plate 21 engages andcloses underlying switch 27 when flexed downwardly, that is, inwardly,from the rest position in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 3,tongue 21b being free to move away from crosspiece 16b into cutout 16a.

Intermediate section 23 extends between the front of cartridge unit 25and casing front wall 15 and has an opening 23a aligning with cutout 15ainto which opening and cutout the lens tip of bulb 26 may project.

Plate 22, serving as an anchoring means for retaining the parts offlashlight 12 in assembly as well as for mounting the latter on a keyhandle 11a, may be narrower than plate 21, being shaped and sized to liealong the interior surface of casing bottom wall 17 and having a step22a to position a rear portion 22b in bottom wall opening 17a spacedfrom and substantially parallel to tab 18. Plate rear portion 22b isformed with a depression 22c extending toward tab 18, depression 220being provided with an opening 22d having a rim formed to engage thethreads of screw 24 which extends through an aligned openinglSa in tab18.

The initial assembly of flashlight 12 is readily accomplished by firstsliding cartridge unit 25 into the open side of switch plate andkeyholder element 20 so that switch 27 faces plate 21 and light bulb 26is positioned to extend into opening 230.. Element 20 with cartridge 25so positioned therein is then placed into the open top of casing 13 byfirst inserting tongue 21b into rear wall cutout 16a and then droppingintermediate section 23 into place behind casing front wall 15. Screw 24is then inserted through tab opening 18a and threaded into opening 22d.Tightening of screw 24 anchors element 20 in position against casingbottom wall 17 retaining all the parts in assembly. Application ofpressure to depress the rear region of plate 21 will be seen to alsodepress switch 27 to make electrical contact with the center terminal ofbattery 28 to energize bulb 26.

, To mount flashlight 12 on the handle 11a of key 11, screw 24 is firstremoved from opening 22d. The key handle 11a is then inserted in theslot between tab 18 s,s10,ses

a and plate rear portion 22b. Since element with cartridge is now loosein casing 13, depression 220 may be urged upwardly to clear the keyhandle 11a permitting the handle opening 11b to register with tabopening 18a and receive depression 220 therein. Replacement andtightening of screw 24 completes the assembly of the key and flashlightcombination 10.

The improved miniature flashlight with key attachment herein disclosedis seen to achieve the several objects of the invention and to be welladapted to meet conditions of practical use. As various possibleembodiments might be made in the above invention, and as various changesmight be made in the disclosed construction, it is to be understood thatall matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing are tobe interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A miniature flashlight of the character described comprising a casingformed with an interior chamber and having an open top wall, a partiallyopen opposite bottom wall and a front wall having an aperturecommunicating with said chamber and being located beneath said open topwall, a tab having an opening therein, said tab being attached to thecasing adjacent the rear thereof to extend in spaced parallel relationto the bottom wall overlying said bottom wall partial opening, saidbottom wall and tab forming a slot to receive a handle of a key thereinwith a key handle opening in registered alignment with said tab opening,a battery, electric light bulb and switch for closing a circuit from thebattery to the bulb disposed in said interior chamber, the bulb beingaligned with said front wall aperture to project a light beam along thelength of a key positioned in said slot, said switch being located forfinger pressure actuation through said open top wall, a spring closurefor said top wall opening adapted to be inwardly deflected for engagingand closing said switch, a plate located within said interior chamberextending across said bottom wall partial opening and being formed witha female threaded portion aligning with said tab and key handleopenings, and a removable screw extending through said tab and keyhandle openings and engaging said female threaded portion to secure saidkey handle in said slot.

2. A miniature flashlight of the character described comprising anintegrally molded casing having an open top wall, a partially openopposite bottom wall, an apertured front wall and a rear wall having acentralized cutout spaced from the open top providing a crosspiece, atab having an opening therein, said tab being integrally molded with thecasing bottom wall adjacent the rear thereof and extending forwardly inspaced parallel relation to the bottom wall and substantially coveringsaid bot-tom wall partial opening, said bottom wall and tab forming. aslot to receive a handle of a key therein with a key handle opening inregistered alignment with said ta b opening, a battery, electric lightbulb switch for closing a circuit from the battery to the bulb disposedwithin the casing, the bulb being aligned with said front wall apertureto project a light beam along the length of a key positioned in saidslot, said switch being located for finger pressure actuation throughsaid open top wall, a spring closure for said top wall opening having arear end portion extending into said rear wall cutout to engage saidcrosspiece and limit outward movement of said spring closure to a normalpredetermined position in said top wall opening, said spring closurebeing inwardly deflectiible by finger pressure for engaging and closingsaid switch, a plate extending across said bottom wall partial openingand being formed with a female threaded portion aligning with said taband key handle openings, and a removable screw extending through saidtab and key handle openings and engaging said female threaded portion tosecure said key handle in said slot.

3. In a miniature flashlight of the character described,

an integrally molded casing having an open top wall, a partially openopposite bottom wall, and an apertured front wall, a tab having anopening therein, said tab being integrally molded with the casing bottomwall adjacent the rear thereof and extending forwardly in spacedparallel relation to the bottom wall and substantially covering saidbottom wall partial opening, said bottom wall and tab forming a slot toreceive a handle of a key therein with a key handle opening inregistered alignment with said tab opening, a switch plate and keyanchor element formed of sheet spring material bent into a substantiallyU-shaped configuration providing a top wall closure plate interconnectedby a substantially right angular intermediate section to an opposite keyanchoring plate, said top wall closure plate extending across said topwall opening and being inwardly deflectible by finger pressure toactuate an underlying switch, said key anchoring plate extending acrosssaid bot-tom wall partial opening and being formed with a femalethreaded portion aligning with said tab and key handle openings, and aremovable screw extending through said tab and key handle openings andengaging said female threaded portion to simultaneously secure said keyhandle in said slot and retain said switch plate and key anchor elementin position in said casing.

4. In a miniature flashlight of the character described, an integrallymolded casing having an open top wall, a partially open opposite bottomwall, an apertured front wall and a rear wall having a centralizedcutout spaced from the open top providing a crosspiece, a tab having anopening therein, said tab being integrally molded with the casing bottomwall adjacent the rear thereof and extending forwardly in spacedparallel relation to the bottom wall and substantially covering saidbottom wall partial opening, said bottom wall and tab forming a slot toreceive a handle of a key therein with a key handle opening inregistered alignment with said tab opening, a switch plate and keyanchor element formed of sheet spring material bent into a substantiallyU-shaped configuration providing a top wall closure plate interconnectedby a substantially right angular intermediate section to an opposite keyanchoring plate, said top wall closure plate extending across said topwall opening and having a rear end portion extending into said rear wallcutout to engage said crosspiece and limit outward movement of saidclosure plate to a normal predetermined position in said top wallopening, said key anchoring plate extending across said bottom wallpartial opening and being formed with a female threaded portion aligningwith said tab and key handle openings, and a removable screw extendingthrough said tab and key handle openings and engaging said femalethreaded portion to secure said key handle in said slot and retain saidswitch plate and key anchor element in position in said casing.

5. A miniature flashlight of the character described comprising anintegrally molded casing having an open top wall, a partially openopposite bottom wall, and an apertured front wall, a tab having anopening therein, said tab being integrally molded with the casing bottomwall adjacent the rear thereof and extending forwardly in spacedparallel relation to the bottom wall and sub stantially covering saidbottom wall partial opening, said bottom wall and tab forming a slot toreceive a handle of a key therein with a key handle opening inregistered alignment with said tab opening, a battery-light bulbswitchunit having the light bulb positioned in a front wall and a dep-ressibleswitch located in a top surface thereof, a switch plate and key anchorelement formed of sheet spring material bent into a substantiallyU-shaped configuration providing a top wall closure plate interconnectedby a substantially right angular intermediate section to an opposite keyanchor plate, said element being positioned in said casing with said topwall closure plate extending across said top wall opening and beingresiliently inwardly depressibie, said intermediate section facing saidcasing front wall and having an opening in register with said aperture,said unit being positioned between sad closure plate and key anchorplate with the front wall thereof facing said intermediate section toproject a light beam from said bulb through said aperture andintermediate section opening and along the length of the key, saiddepressible switch being located for actuation by said inWa-rddepression of said top wall closure plate to close the switch and lightthe bulb, said key anchoring plate extending across said bottom wallpartial opening and being formed with a female threaded portion aligning10 with said tab and key handle openings, and a removable screwextending through said tab and key handle openings and engaging saidfemale threaded portion to simultaneously secure said key handle in saidslot and retain said switch plate and key anchor element and said unitin position in said casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,972,879 9/1934Flintermann 2406.4 2,738,668 3/1956 Rock 240-6.4 3,119,564 1/1964 Zalman2406 4 NORTON ANSI-IER, Primary Examiner.

C. C. LOGAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. A MINIATURE FLASHLIGHT OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A CASINGFORMED WITH AN INTERIOR CHAMBER AND HAVING AN OPEN TOP WALL, A PARTIALLYOPEN OPPOSITE BOTTOM WALL AND A FRONT WALL HAVING AN APERTURECOMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER AND BEING LOCATED BENEATH SAID OPEN TOPWALL, A TAB HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, SAID TAB BEING ATTACHED TO THECASING ADJACENT THE REAR THEREOF TO EXTEND IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONTO THE BOTTOM WALL OVERLYING SAID BOTTOM WALL PARTIAL OPENING, SAIDBOTTOM WALL AND TAB FORMING A SLOT TO RECEIVE A HANDLE OF A KEY THEREINWITH A KEY HANDLE OPENING IN REGISTERED ALIGNMENT WITH SAID TAB OPENING,A BATTERY, ELECTRIC LIGHT BULB AND SWITCH FOR CLOSING A CIRCUIT FROM THEBATTERY TO THE BULB DISPOSED IN SAID INTERIOR CHAMBER, THE BULB BEINGALIGNED WITH SAID FRONT WALL APERTURE TO PROJECT A LIGHT BEAM ALONG THELENGTH OF A KEY POSITIONED IN SAID SLOT, SAID SWITCH BEING LOCATED FORFINGER PRESSURE ACTUATION THROUGH SAID OPEN TOP WALL, A SPRING CLOSUREFOR SAID TOP WALL OPENING ADAPTED TO BE INWARDLY DEFLECTED FOR ENGAGINGAND CLOSING SAID SWITCH, A PLATE LOCATED WITHIN SAID INTERIOR CHAMBEREXTENDING ACROSS SAID BOTTOM WALL PARTIAL OPENING AND BEING FORMED WITHA FEMALE THREADED PORTION ALIGNING WITH SAID TAB AND KEY HANDLEOPENINGS, AND A REMOVABLE SCREW EXTENDING THROUGH SAID TAB AND KEYHANDLE OPENINGS AND ENGAGING SAID FEMALE THREADED PORTION TO SECURE SAIDKEY HANDLE IN SAID SLOT.